Help on dispute "never had an account with OC"

[winter97]

There is an Bells card on all 3 of my reports. I have disputed it twice and both times its come back as "verified"

I want to dispute with WFNNB/bells they are the OC and the ones that have verified, that I don't remember ever opening an account with them.

Do I do it just like any CA DV? Or do I need to word things differently?

Also what personal info should I include? Just name and partial account# that is on the reports?

I was thinking of something like this,

I recently received my credit report from Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian. I found that you are reporting and account that I supposedly opened in march 2001. Having no memory of ever opening an account with this company I disputed it with all three bureaus. You have verified this account to them twice now. I would like to see the documents proving that I applied for this account. If you can not produce this with in the reasonable amount of time of 30 days, I expect that you immediately remove this account from my report as this is seriously hurting my credit file.

Is this good enough or should I state something to the effect that the law says I can sue them for reporting inaccurate info. If I do help what would I say?

Thanks in advance.

[pilgrimfaraway]

First thing I would do, personally, is get on the phone with customer service and find out what gives. Probably this is the result of one of your creditors getting bought out. A quick call would easily clear up the question of what is it. At the same time, while discussing it with the customer service rep, you can ask a few probing questions in your confusion about this unknown account:

1. I just don't remember this at all. Is it possible for me to get some proof that the account belongs to me? Maybe the signed contract, cancelled checks, anything to jog my memory about this?

2. Can you send me copies of the statements from this account?

3. Please tell me what the notes on the account say, because I just don't remember this account.

Questions like these is what I used to find out what supposed past creditors of mine had on file to produce as evidence of the account. This helped me to know what to dispute such that they couldn't possibly verify. Got me 3 deletions that way.

[winter97]

I hadn't even thought of that. That would really help me a lot.

On two of the reports it is listed as WFNNB/Bells and on one it is GNB/Bells. So they must have sold out I guess.

It was opened almost 6 years ago and never a payment on it at all. So they probably don't have many records on it. That's why I didn't think they would verify. They must just be verifying that account number has my name on it. After I call maybe then I will have more info to dispute differently. Thanks!

[ShineOn]

I had a similar situation on my DH's file. It was a GNB/Stage account.

He had opened the account then the store went out of business luckily he had carried a $0 bal.

I kept disputing both TLs He had 3 30DL 1 90 DL and 2 60DL reporting on the oldest account, pays as agreed on the second.

The third time I disputed EQ dropped the oldest account and turned the second into a "closed-pays as agreed".

EX removed both completly and I am STILL waiting for TU.

So what I am saying is keep it in dispute while you do what pilgrim said. If they do prove it is yours

make sure you mention you did not know it had been sold or was still open.